Book Now for Regional TMO Conferences in February
Bookings are now being taken for the Regional TMO Conferences in London (Feb 15th) and Wolverhampton (Feb 22nd). These are great events for local networking, sharing problems and ideas and keeping up to date. 

Deadine extended for National TMO Survey
The National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations together with the charity, Urban Forum are conducting a nationwide independent survey of TMOs, the first for many years. The survey findings will be used in new research being carried out by Urban Forum and Prof. Rebecca Tunstall into TMOs, to shed new light onto the work of TMOs and the future of tenant self management 

Energy and Ideas at TMO National Conference
Over 200 TMO delegates gathered in Stratford-Upon-Avon last weekend for an energetic and creative Annual Conference of the NFTMO.  

Closing Date Nears on 'Local Decisions' Consultation
The closing date for responses to the Government Consultation paper “Local decisions: a fairer future for social housing” is next Monday (17th January) at 5pm. The NFTMO will be submitting a response and we are interested to hear the views of your organisation, assuming you have had an opportunity to discuss the Government’s proposals in what has been a very short consultation period.  

Calculating Allowances- ON SITE Training for your TMO
The NFTMO has some grant from the TEP Programme to help us follow up on our Calculating Allowances publication and we are offering onsite half day workshops (on calculating allowances) for TMOs. The workshops will be run by Liz Michael, who wrote the guidance. If your TMO would like a workshop run for you by Liz then read on. 

Pass IT On - Get Online!
National Get online week takes place between 18 and 24 October, and aims to give anyone and everyone the chance to get started with computers and the internet.  

Chalk Farm Housing Group seeks Estate Manager
Chalk Farm Housing Group (TMO) who provide estate services to 273 tenants and leaseholders in Camden, North London,are inviting applications for the post of Estate Manager for a fixed one year term, starting at PO2, scale 35 £32, 532, renewable subject to the post holder achieving a series of timed targets aimed at turning the organization around.  

What Now After Minister’s Decision to Pull NTV Funding?
Discussions are taking place about how things can move forward following last month’s announcement that the Housing Minister has decided to withdraw government funding to the newly established National Tenants Voice (NTV). It was only a few months ago that the 50 strong tenants council and the NTV Board were established. Although the NTV has now lost its funding and QUANGO status it is possible that the initiative could be kept alive, albeit in a different form. 

World Boxing Champ Haye Opens TMO Play Area
Leathermarket JMB in South London were proud to have the world Heavy Weight boxing champion, David Haye, to open a new toddlers play area on their estate. The opening attracted about 200 people. 

NFTMO Annual Conference 'Best Ever'
The NFTMO Annual Conference was one of the best Federation events ever judging by feedback from delegates. The venue, the programme, the delegates and even the weather made it an enjoyable and productive weekend.Main presentations available to download. 

NFTMO Faces Anxious Wait for Grant News.
The NFTMO is one of several organisations waiting anxiously to find out if grant funding for this financial year will be forthcoming after a promised grant offer was put on hold as part of the new Government's spending review. 

2010 TMO Conference now fully booked.
The NFTMO annual conference in Stratford-upon-Avon on June 11th to 13th 2010 is now pretty much fully booked. 

NFTMO Members urged to write to candidates and MPs
NFTMO Member organisations are being urged to lobby local election candidates and/or MPs and councillors. INFORMATION AND RESOURCES HERE 

Like Being Involved in a TMO – Why Not ‘Pass It On’ with our FREE greetings cards?
The NFTMO, in partnership with CCH (Confederation of Co-operative Housing) and ATIC (Agencies and Trainers for Involved Communities) is launching a ‘Pass It On’ campaign - encouraging TMO and Co-op tenants to spread the word about tenant control and let more people in on the secret. 

Places Still Available for Annual Conference in Windsor this July
It is still not too late to book for this year's joint NFTMO / CCH Annual Conference which is to take place over the weekend of Friday 10th to Sunday 12th July. The venue this year is the lovely Beaumont House Conference Centre, Old Windsor in Berkshire. Some places are still available!A Booking form can be downloaded from this site. 

Government consults on Council Housing Finance and on Allocations
The Government has published two consultation documents which will have implications for many TMOs. 

WATMOS Looking for New Chief Executive
WATMOS Community Homes Chief Executive Stuart Masters is moving on after helping to establish the organisation as a unique and successful tenant led RSL built around eight TMOs in Walsall. WATMOS are now advertising for a new Chief Executive. The closing date for applications is May 29th.  

TMOs Asked to Return NFTMO Survey on Allowances
TMOs are being asked to complete and return a short questionnaire survey about this year's management and maintenance allowances. The NFTMO wants to get a clearer picture of the levels of allowances and the process by which they are being fixed. 

Little Venice Seek Manager
PART-TIME T.M.O. MANAGER, LONDON W2. Salary: £16.00 per hour; 20 hours per week. Closing date: 23.02.09. Little Venice Housing Co-op are looking for an enthusiastic, self-sufficient, hands-on, multi-skilled and multi-tasking person with the initiative to manage 63 properties within a small and friendly TMO/Housing Co-operative 

One-to-One Interview ; A Young Person's Viewpoint
In August the NFTMO ran our first national ‘Young Leaders’ conference. The energy behind the event was NFTMO executive committee member Adeleke Adeyemi. He thinks TMOs need to give a higher priority to young people. But what do young people think about community involvement and how does it fit with their priorities? Adeleke interviewed Temitope Omotosho who is 19 years old and has lived in the Holland Rise estate in South London for over five years.  

Government Consults on Time Off Work Rights for TMO Board Members
The Government has been consulting about including TMO Board members in the range of people who are legally entitled to take time off work to carry out public duties. 

Looking for Guide TMOs to Show the Way
An NFTMO proposal to develop a network of beacon or GUIDE TMOs now has the support of the government’s Right to Manage Review Group. The aim is to establish a network of Guide TMOs by March 2009. 

New NFTMO Executive Committee
The NFTMO has gained some new national executive committee members following the committee elections at the AGM in June. The National Executive includes 9 TMO reps from London and the South, 6 TMO reps from the Midlands and 6 TMO reps from the North. 

Membership Rates Fixed for 2008-2009
Increases in the NFTMO Membership Fees were agreed at the Annual General Meeting in June. 

Weather Can’t Dampen TMO Spirit
Recent TMO Annual Conferences have been memorable for baking hot sunshine. Not so this year where conference delegates were greeted by showers and strong winds as they assembled at the Chesford Grange hotel in Warwickshire. 

NFTMO Young Leaders Conference August1st-3rd
Over the weekend of August 1st -3rd a special conference in Chester will bring together young people from TMO and Guide Neighbourhood communities to share ideas, network and learn from others. The NFTMO Young Leaders Conference 2008 is the first of its kind. 

IUT President Warns of World Wide Housing Shortage
The 2008 NFTMO Conference was opened by Sven Carlsson , the President of the International Union of Tenants (IUT). The NFTMO are one of fifty-five IUT member organisations in 45 countries around the world. Membership of the IUT is growing each year. Sven explained “ I think that the increase is due to the fact that tenants all over the world are facing harder times, meaning higher rents and insecure tenure ” 

New Right to Manage Regulations Will Apply from October
New Right to Manage regulations for local authority tenants will come into force this October. The new regulations aim to simplify the Right to Manage process, making it a more attractive option for tenants groups. 

NFTMO Welcomes Minister's Support for Clause 282
The NFTMO has welcomed the support of Housing Minister, Iain Wright, for Clause 282 (was259) of the Housing and Regeneration Bill. The Clause paves the way for regulations that would require local authorities to co-operate with a proposal for a tenant led stock transfer initiative where such a transfer is the best option and has the support of council tenants effected. 

Housing Minister Presents Latest TMO Kite Mark Awards
Three Tenant Management Organisations (TMOs) have been awarded the TMO Good Governance Kite Mark in a scheme to promote good practice amongst the country’s tenant controlled housing organisations 

First TMOs Awarded Good Governance Kite Mark
Three TMOs have become the first in the country to be awarded the NFTMO Good Governance Kite Mark. Belle Isle TMO from Leeds, Friday Hill TMO from East London and Burrowes Street TMO from Walsall have gained the Kite Mark following a process of self evaluation, action planning and external assessment. All TMOs are now being encouraged to seek the Kite Mark as evidence of good practice. 

Three National Tenants' Organisations Discuss Joint Action
Representatives of the NFTMO have met with their counterparts from TAROE and CCH to explore how the three national tenants’ organisations might work together to represent tenants on issues of common concern.  

Government Consults on Improvements to Right to Manage
In her speech to the CiH conference in Harrogate on 19th June, Ruth Kelly launched a Communities and Local Government’s consultation paper on Tenant Empowerment. The paper includes proposals for improved Right to Manage procedures that should open the door for many more communities to choose the TMO route if they wish to. 

Updated Right to Manage Guidance
The NFTMO has been working with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and some Section 16 Agencies to update and streamline the Right to Manage guides known to those who have used them as the ‘yellow books’. The ODPM are consulting on the new documents. You can view copies now on this site. 

Great Spirit at 2006 TMO Conference
The 2006 Annual TMO Conference was held in mid June at Stoke Rochford Hall in Grantham. The warm weather helped to make it a great weekend for the 160 delegates who attended. TMOs exchanged inspiring stories of achievement and progress. There was also plenty of evidence of the difficulties being experienced by many TMOs, particularly some of those working with Housing Associations and ALMOs. 

2006 Conference Contact Details
There was plenty of networking at the TMO conference in June with many useful links made with other TMOs. If you want to follow up a contact but you have mislaid or forgotten the other delegates' details, help is at hand! Click the link below to view the 2006 Conference Delegate list and contact details. 

2006 Conference Photos
We got some great pictures at the conference in June. You can have a look at all images by clicking on the link below. If you want higher resolution digital copies of any pictures featuring yourself or your group, please e-mail your request to contact@nftmo.com making sure you quote the name of the picture you want. The digital images will be sent to you by e-mail. 

Interested in forming a TMO? Free guidance and study visits now available from the NFTMO
Groups interested in tenant controlled housing can now get free introductory support from the NFTMO Resident Guide service. An experienced TMO or Co-op member will visit you to talk about the benefits and pitfalls of managing your own housing. The Resident Guide can also arrange free study visits so that your group can take a look at other TMOs and Co-ops in action. 

Law Commission Report Proposes Single Tenancy
The Law Commission has published proposals for a single tenure for council and RSL tenants. The report, called ‘Renting Homes’ proposes that council tenants would retain the Right to Manage and for RSL tenants a) the Secretary of State would have the power to bring defined RSL housing within the Right to Manage and b) RSLs could voluntarily opt in to the Right To Manage. 

Business planning toolkit now available here!
A little later than planned but well worth the wait! The Business Planning and In Touch toolkit for TMOs is now available. The toolkit was commissioned by the NFTMO and HouseMark and was funded by an Innovation into Action grant. 

Cath Quine Award Winner Announced
The first annual Cath Quine Award for Service to a TMO Community’ has gone to Stephen Lynch, who was the dedicated chairperson of the Power EMB in Liverpool until his untimely death this year. The Award is given to an individual TMO or Co-op member whose voluntary work has made a real difference to the lives of people in their own community. The Federation is now inviting nominations for the 2007 award.  

Take control of your local economy
PEP has launched a free resource pack to help local people improve their local economy via community-centred initiatives. It is based on innovative ‘option studies’ completed this year in Leicestershire and Sussex. 

Government pledges support for TMOs
2006 looks like being a year of change and an important one for TMOs. The Government has pledged to bring TMOs higher up their agenda but on the ground the environment seems to be increasingly less supportive of tenant controlled housing. 

New Management Agreement and Software to make it easy
he long awaited new Modular Management Agreement (MMA) for TMOs is now available from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. At the same time a new computer software tool has been developed for the NFTMO that will make the MMA easier to understand and work with.